Julie Benko to Release New Album EUPHONIC GUMBO in February

Julie Benko - the singer and actor who rose to national prominence in Broadway's Funny Girl and who will return to Broadway this January in the revival of Ragtime - will release Euphonic Gumbo, a vibrant new album steeped in the musical and cultural histories of New Orleans, featuring her seven-piece band musically directed by her pianist-arranger spouse, Jason Yeager. Out February 20 on Club44 Records, the project brings to life the exuberant spirit of the duo's annual Mardi Gras concerts at Birdland, where their Big Easy-inspired celebrations have become a beloved winter tradition.

The album release show will take place at Birdland on Monday, February 16 at 7PM. (A livestream of the show will also be available here.) Pre-save the album here.

Benko's rise as a vocalist and actor garnered national attention, her stint in Funny Girl earning her nods as the 2022 "Breakout Star for Theater" by The New York Times and one of Variety's "10 Broadway Stars to Watch" for 2023, as well as profiles in Variety, Time, CBS Mornings, and many others. Yeager's work as a pianist, arranger, and composer has been featured on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and Smalls, and covered in such outlets as The New York Times, DownBeat, JazzTimes, and The Boston Globe, affirming his stature as an inventive and versatile voice in contemporary jazz.

With Club44 Records, the married duo previously released Christmas With You and Hand in Hand. These warmly received albums showcased their intuitive musical rapport and laid the groundwork for the broader palette they explore in Euphonic Gumbo. Together, they bridge Broadway and jazz with a shared commitment to storytelling, improvisation, and craft.

"The first time Jason and I visited New Orleans, we fell wildly in love with the place," Benko recalls. "The history, the architecture, the food - oh, the food! - the parades, the languages, and the way music is celebrated on every street corner... it was unlike anything I'd ever seen before."

Developed over several years of Mardi Gras-themed performances, Euphonic Gumbo grew from that first experience, where Benko and Yeager immersed themselves in the Crescent City's parades, street bands, Storyville lore, and the sensation of music erupting everywhere. What began as an intimate duo set in 2022 soon expanded into a full-band Birdland spectacle: beads tossed to the crowd, a second-line parade through the club, and homemade king cake carried from table to table. "We want people listening to the record to feel like they're with us at our annual Mardi Gras celebration at Birdland," Benko adds. Each year's show expanded their repertoire, ultimately forming the core of the album.

The album's title comes from Benko's original play Down the Line, set in Storyville, New Orleans' former red-light district. In it, legendary pianist Tony Jackson describes his own "jasmine" music as "euphonic gumbo," a musical stew that "simmers slow and builds to something rich and complex, but still goes down easy."

The tracklist functions as a sweeping tour through New Orleans' musical landscape.
"Down in New Orleans Medley" - a Birdland show opener - begins with host Jim Caruso introducing the band before launching into a promenade from Bourbon Street to the Mardi Gras parade to Basin Street, the historic edge of Storyville. "Ticklin' Time (Let the Good Times Roll/Tipitina)" honors Dr. John and Professor Longhair, the great "professors" of New Orleans piano tradition.

The ensemble on Euphonic Gumbo brings depth and vitality to the project. Yeager (piano, organ, celeste) leads a rhythm section of Michael O'Brien (bass) and Jay Sawyer (drums). The horn section - Ron Wilkins (trombone), Andy Warren (trumpet), and Linus Wyrsch (clarinet) - moves seamlessly between hot-jazz polyphony and R&B horn lines. Sasha Papernik (accordion), Justin Poindexter (strings/banjo), and Gabe Terracciano (violin) contribute essential textures rooted in Cajun and Creole traditions. Tap artist John Manzari adds a rare and dynamic percussive dimension.

Euphonic Gumbo arrives February 20 on Club44 Records. The release show will take place at Birdland on February 16, where Benko, Yeager, and their ensemble will once again bring Mardi Gras to Midtown. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Track Listing

1. Down in New Orleans Medley
2. Ticklin' Time (Let the Good Times Roll/Tipitina)
3. The Lakes of Pontchartrain
4. Funky Fête (Iko Iko/Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing) (feat. John Manzari)
5. Ma Belle Evangeline
6. Pretty Baby
7. Don't You Come Home, Bill Bailey!
8. St. James Infirmary (feat. John Manzari)
9. J'ai Passé Devant Ta Porte
10. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? (Live at Birdland)

Photo credit: Kevin Alvey